The present invention relates to the mounting of a display panel in a computer such as a notebook PC (Personal computer).
A notebook PC generally consists of an LCD panel and a PC body, wherein the LCD panel can be raised from the PC body when a user uses the notebook PC, and the LCD panel can be stored on the PC body when the user carries the PC. FIG. 9 shows a notebook PC as an example of conventional notebook PCs, which is referred to as a clamshell type. In FIG. 9, the clamshell type notebook PC 51 consists of an LCD panel 52 and a PC body 53. This notebook PC 51 is configured to rotatably connect the LCD panel 52 and the PC body 53 with two hinges 54-1 and 54-2.
When the LCD panel 52 has a touch-panel function in addition to an information display function, it is generally required from the viewpoint of usability that the LCD panel 52 is not easily moved when it is pressed. However, if the touch panel function is used with the LCD panel 52 of FIG. 9, the operation of pressing a display portion 56 of the LCD panel 52 will tip back the LCD panel 52 or topple over the entire notebook PC 51. To avoid these situations, it has been necessary to increase the torque of the hinges connecting the PC body 53 and the LCD panel 52, or to make the PC body 53 larger or heavier so as to generate, by self weight, moment greater than that generated by the touch-panel operation.
As permitted by the design of the clamshell notebook PC 51, a user may open the hinges 54-1 and 54-2 as much as possible when using the touch-panel function because the LCD panel 52 is not further moved even when he strongly presses the LCD panel. However, the LCD panel 52 becomes distant from the user.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for fixing an display panel on a notebook PC wherein operations such as information input can be performed without loss of usability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for fixing a display panel on a notebook PC wherein an operator can set the display panel in a desired position.
According to one aspect of the invention, in a computer having a body and a display panel (e.g. LCD) connected by a hinge member, side fins are provided on both sides of the bottom of the display panel, sidewalls are provided on both sides of a keyboard on the body, and the side fins are put on the sidewalls along the outer sides thereof so as to fix the display panel and to prevent the side-to-side movement of the display panel. According to another aspect of the present invention, projections are provided on backside edge portions at the bottom of the display panel, depressions for holding the projections are provided on the body, and the projections are engaged in the depressions to fix the display panel. This configuration is preferred in that the motion of the panel can be restricted and the panel can be more firmly fixed to the body. In addition, having the side fins and projections in integral structure can realize this configuration more easily and is therefore preferred.
As a preferred implementation of a method for fixing the panel on the notebook PC according to the present invention, a first hinge is provided on the body, a second hinge is provided on the panel, and the first and second hinges are rotatably connected by an arm. This implementation is preferred in that the panel can be firmly fixed to any position and thus operations such as information input can be performed without loss of usability.
In the preferred implementation of the present invention, the first hinge is configured to rotate 0xc2x0 through 90xc2x0 given that the angle of the main surface of the notebook PC is 0xc2x0, and the second hinge is configured to rotate 0xc2x0 through 180xc2x0 given that the angle of a plane parallel to the arm is 0xc2x0. This configuration is preferred in that it can be applied to any implementation.